Just before you open that packet of wafers or unwrap that candy,
ask yourself, are you really hungry? Because chances are that if you're
feeling lonely, or bored, or frustrated, you will most probably resort
to eating. For some people, eating at odd hours is more about filling an
emotional need rather than true hunger. This is called emotional
eating. It can lead to eating too much high-calorie, sweet, salty and
fatty foods.
The first step to control your eating is to find out first when you eat most. Do you eat more at work? Or do you eat at night when you're alone and bored? There could be many factors responsible for emotional eating such as depression, anxiety, frustration, loneliness, anger and boredom! Food can also be a distraction.
If you're apprehensive about an upcoming event, eating may distract you but after a while your attention comes back to the original cause of worry. After you have figured out what is responsible for your cravings, you can try and avoid situations in which you have that feeling. The best way to cope with such feelings is to channelize your energy in positive direction by trying to do something else which also diverts your mind, and in the process, you end up doing something constructive as well! What you need is not a diet, but a lifestyle change!
Exercise can be a good alternative:
You can try some simple techniques to see which of them works for you. Exercising is the most common of them all. Whenever you feel low, just try and do simple exercises like cycling or going out for a walk, or swimming. You can also include Yoga or Aerobics or Gym in your routine. It helps relieve stress and anxiety, makes you feel good about yourself. Also making you fit at the same time!
Talking to a friend or parents is also a great moral booster. Talk to an old lost friend from high school. Think about happy moments that you spent together and laugh at your kiddish pranks! This will not only lighten up your mood, but your friend's as well! Listening to music is also very comforting. Make sure you listen to peppy songs which make you tap your feet rather than slow, romantic, sad songs which will again leave you feeling morbid!
To keep yourself motivated, you can make a collage of pictures of yourself wearing trendy outfits and looking fit and you can include an occasional picture in which you're looking really fat and ugly. The trick lies in making yourself hate the way you look when you're fat. This should keep you away from ordering extra cheese in the pizza! Also, do not sleep very late. Rather, get up early in the mornings and go for a jog.
Some people maintain a diary to note down whatever they eat, so that whenever they eat something next time, they feel guilty about it, hence avoiding eating on impulse. A very important point to note: Do not go for grocery shopping when you're hungry. Most of the times you will buy things that you would not want to, and you'll end up eating them just because they're in your reach! The most important factor that will help you control emotional eating is your will power! If you let your emotions take control over your actions, you are bound to give in! Keeping yourself focused and motivated will go a long way in changing your lifestyle.
The first step to control your eating is to find out first when you eat most. Do you eat more at work? Or do you eat at night when you're alone and bored? There could be many factors responsible for emotional eating such as depression, anxiety, frustration, loneliness, anger and boredom! Food can also be a distraction.
If you're apprehensive about an upcoming event, eating may distract you but after a while your attention comes back to the original cause of worry. After you have figured out what is responsible for your cravings, you can try and avoid situations in which you have that feeling. The best way to cope with such feelings is to channelize your energy in positive direction by trying to do something else which also diverts your mind, and in the process, you end up doing something constructive as well! What you need is not a diet, but a lifestyle change!
Exercise can be a good alternative:
You can try some simple techniques to see which of them works for you. Exercising is the most common of them all. Whenever you feel low, just try and do simple exercises like cycling or going out for a walk, or swimming. You can also include Yoga or Aerobics or Gym in your routine. It helps relieve stress and anxiety, makes you feel good about yourself. Also making you fit at the same time!
Talking to a friend or parents is also a great moral booster. Talk to an old lost friend from high school. Think about happy moments that you spent together and laugh at your kiddish pranks! This will not only lighten up your mood, but your friend's as well! Listening to music is also very comforting. Make sure you listen to peppy songs which make you tap your feet rather than slow, romantic, sad songs which will again leave you feeling morbid!
To keep yourself motivated, you can make a collage of pictures of yourself wearing trendy outfits and looking fit and you can include an occasional picture in which you're looking really fat and ugly. The trick lies in making yourself hate the way you look when you're fat. This should keep you away from ordering extra cheese in the pizza! Also, do not sleep very late. Rather, get up early in the mornings and go for a jog.
Some people maintain a diary to note down whatever they eat, so that whenever they eat something next time, they feel guilty about it, hence avoiding eating on impulse. A very important point to note: Do not go for grocery shopping when you're hungry. Most of the times you will buy things that you would not want to, and you'll end up eating them just because they're in your reach! The most important factor that will help you control emotional eating is your will power! If you let your emotions take control over your actions, you are bound to give in! Keeping yourself focused and motivated will go a long way in changing your lifestyle.
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